Images of Gratitude

By Rev. LeRoy E. Zemke
Pastor, Temple of the Living God

We cross the Infinite with every step and encounter the eternal with every second. Robindranath Tagore

A state of harmony with nature, with all beings of creation, itself leads to our harmony with humans. If we lose our relationship with nature, we lose inevitably our relationship with humans. Krishnamurti

When we think of gratitude we begin to smile. Pictures long held in memory or in our emotional/mental fields flood our outer awareness with pleasant recall.

For example: A favorite relative, beloved spouse, partner, child or friend emerges (inwardly) with some memory of a unique event or series of events and brings a host of good feelings to the surface of our awareness. This host of good feelings associated with the memory itself stirs an abundance of endorphins, those special chemical agents that are released in the brain to cause us to feel good. (They actually are a part of a group of peptides that raise the pain threshold receptors in the brain).

The good feeling(s) associated with such memory or memories elevates our mood, stirs our immunity favorably and causes us to feel good about our life and our involvement in life. This is a very powerful gifting that gives and gives and gives to us each time we repeat the memory.

Gratitude is a profound feeling of deep appreciation for personal or other kindnesses or benefit received. It emerges from the inner- most dimensions of the soul, perhaps from the very Spirit of Life itself. Gratitude implies a thankful heart for the multiplicity of one or many favors, gifts, even graces that life offers to us wherever we are, whatever the circumstances, whatever the reason.

When we genuinely experience gratitude we actually will notice a positive shift in our attitude or feeling about some gift or benefit that has been presented to us.

In a cynical world, gratitude is often suspect because it is misperceived as having an underlying negative motivation or cause. Individuals misperceive a demonstration of gratefulness as a form of carefully orchestrated manipulation to achieve a highly desired favor, goal or benefit. The result is that such an expression of supposed gratitude communicates a lie, a falseness and is rightly suspect. However true this cynical view maybe, it is not where we wish to focus this quality.

As we become more conscious and truly more awake as the spiritual beings we are, the way of gratefulness in our lives becomes as easy as breathing. It is a daily matter and it occurs, naturally, spontaneously wherever we are.

Some considerations follow:

1. As we begin our day, upon awakening from a nights’ rest, express, in prayer or as a simple statement to God; “Thank you for the life I have. Thank you for another day.” It’s the reverse of “God, it’s morning” to “Thank you, God, for another morning.”

2. Bless family, friends, acquaintances, essentially all beings in a loving acknowledgment of that inner presence that connects us all to each other. Do not focus on their limitations or difficulties or issues. The same spiritual fire runs thru each sentient being. Let us affirm it from a thankful place within ourselves.

3. While certain problems may continue to exist, difficulties remain, health or wealth challenges appear in the daily life, express whatever level of appreciation may be possible, regardless of the appearances of some very negative circumstance. We may have lost a job, or be faced with a negative health indictor such as cancer, heart failure, or viral or bacterial infection that is life threatening.

To the degree that we can be positive, express confidence that there is a solution that is possible. Realize or state to one’s self, “God’s Essence is present. Allow me to be open enough to see it, know it, be aware of it that I can be a source of blessing or be open to receive whatever good is available to me and/or to another.”

When and as we are able to shift internally, actually refocus our attention, we reconnect to the Life Force, the God Presence, the Holy Spirit, the Christ Consciousness that undergirds human life. This shift allows us to become receptive to some discovery Life (God) has for us through the current challenge (often called tragedy, loss, pain or plague). When we stubbornly hold onto a hurtful view or negative experience, that feeling or view acts as a barrier. The work is to allow a crack in the door for the light to go through. It is up to us to be willing (internally) see it, and as we are able, to be available to inner growth that will follow.

We may be unable to say, “I’m grateful for the loss I’ve sustained, the failed marriage, friendship or business, the foreclosure or other circumstance that’s pain filled, hurtful or harmful.”

Let us say instead to ourselves, “Help me to see this more clearly. Help me to see Your Purpose, Plan for me at a level in my life that I can understand it, relate to it, make my peace with it and move forward. The learning here is to realize that lessons of the soul are not garnered in a day or revealed in an instant. We each must learn through the process called patience and how it ultimately serves us. And patience will allow the inner light to penetrate when we stop pushing against God (the Universe) for answers.

4. When gratitude touches our lives even in the simplest manner, we move away (internally) from fear and stumbling toward grace and growth. We see possibilities and potentialities. Obstacles may still remain, but we see a step instead of a stone. We are mentally and emotionally ready to embrace a subtle, simple step toward change or a new vision or a certainly beyond the one we held previously.

While it is suggested in our personal, social and business interactions to express “thank you” to persons for kindnesses, favors, or other generosities shown, it is very often perfunctory or devoid of sincere feeling or empty of genuine intent. The real work and on-going discovery within our life is to uncover the many hitherto unexplored avenues of gratitude that truly open up to us when we live from a place of connectedness, not merely a perfunctory response, (and thus consciousness) to all that exists in our life.

As this shift occurs, it will bring us to the awareness that we are more and more grateful for what our life offers. Our life will offer more and more to us!

And as this unfolds, we will discover that our life, in big and small things alike, will unfold for us, pouring forth a cornucopia of unlimited and unrestricted Good. As a way to test this approach, say thank you to life for everything that comes your way. When we begin to notice that even the challenges are easier, we will have made the shift into the awareness of Gratitude.